Splintered
by remonrime
Summary: Jamie runs away to escape the distress at home, but finds himself holding his last breath. Trigger Warning for near-death experience. Jack/Jamie. M/M. slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Splintered**

**Fandom: Rise of the Guardians**

**Pairing: Jack/Jamie**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: Jamie runs away to escape the distress at home, but finds himself holding his last breath. Trigger Warning for near-death experience. **

**A/N: Another Jack/Jamie fic for you all! :D**

* * *

They were arguing.

The voices were rushed and whispered as they ricocheted across the living room walls. Jamie sat hunched at the top of the staircase, eyes wide and mouth agape as his fingers deftly gripped the banister for support. His parents had never argued this much. They usually only muttered under their breaths as they passed each other in the halls or sent straight-faced glares across the table at dinner. This time it sounded like they were at war with each other, each side bombarding the other with a never ending onslaught of verbal jabs.

"We shouldn't tell them yet," his mother whispered tersely. He could hear his father's heavy hand slam against the coffee table.

"The sooner the better!" he fired back, grunting. Jamie heard his mother let out a groan, obviously exasperated.

"You make it sound so fucking easy!" his mother practically cried, her words catching in her throat. "How can you expect to tell Jamie we're getting divorced? Just like that? With no warning?" She sounded hoarse and choked-up, something he rarely ever heard from his mother.

"If you won't, I will," his father replied back, tight-lipped and grave.

"Bastard!" His mother hissed. Jamie heard her abruptly get up from her seat, her light footsteps tapping across the wooden floorboards in a hurry. Jamie gasped and sprang up, nearly tripping on his way towards his room. He passed by Sophie's bedroom, hearing her light and airy snores fill up her room. When he finally got to his door, he threw himself inside and jumped into his bed, pulling the blankets over him.

He heard his mother walk past his room, grumbling under her breath as she slammed her own bedroom door shut. All was silent in the house, until he heard the downstairs door slam close and his father's car start in the driveway. Jamie watched as the headlights from outside danced across his bedroom walls, disappearing into the corner of his room as the car finally sped off. He lay in his bed and stared up at the ceiling, fingers clutching the bedspread beneath him.

Jamie didn't bother keeping track of the time after that. He could have been lying there on his bed for an hour for all he knew. When the house finally settled and the resulting stillness washed over him, Jamie knew he had to get out of there. He cautiously peeled the blankets away from his body and threw his legs over the edge of the bed, bare feet planting against the cold wooden floor. He then went about collecting some warm clothing. When he was all zippered up and ready to go, he carefully opened his door and tiptoed down the hallway.

The lights in his mother's room were off and not a sound slipped from underneath the doorway. It was likely that his mother was already asleep, making it that much easier for him to quickly fly down the staircase and slip out the front door.

The chilly air outside hit him like a snowball to the face. Snowflakes gently fell from the night sky, entwining with the wayward strands of hair that poked out from his hat. His cheeks turned rosy and his nose began aching, but he shook off the frigid temperature and stuffed his hands in his coat pockets. He trudged through the snow and began to think.

When he was feeling troubled or down, he loved having Jack near him. Jack had been quite busy since getting anointed with Guardianship, leaving the spirit with a whole new list of responsibilities, but he always made time for Jamie—the human had been his first believer after all. Jack had taken permanent residence in the quite town of Burgess, zapping quickly to other countries when the season called, but he always returned. Sometimes Jack would leave for weeks and other times he'd be gone for only a day, but before leaving anywhere, he always made sure to warn Jamie ahead of time.

Whenever Jamie felt sad or lonely or out of it, Jack would always think up of ways to make Jamie smile again, whether it was starting a snowball fight or heading over to the pond to partake in a little midnight ice skating. Even though Jack always made him feel better, Jamie was so very glad that Jack wasn't here on this particular night. He silently thanked North for the impromptu meeting that had required the entire ensemble of Guardians to close shop for the day.

He didn't want Jack to see **him** like this, to see **his family** like this. His parents were getting a divorce and there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't want Jack seeing his parents fighting, the way they constantly argued over money and him and Sophie and practically everything else. He was glad no one was there to see the small trickle of tears ghosting down his face or the way Jamie's eyes watered, the way his nose sniffled and his lower lip trembled as he tried to quell the turbulent emotions within him. Stuff like this wasn't supposed to happen during the holidays, especially to someone like him. He was a happy kid, a smart one. He had a loving mother and father and a cute little sister and…he had his very own winter spirit as a friend. He was supposed to live happily ever after forever and always.

Jamie wandered his way through the frozen woods, once or twice bumping into a frostbitten tree as he stumbled for support. The ground beneath him was slippery with patches of ice and mud, and his balance was being jeopardized because of it.

When he finally got to his destination, he allowed himself to halt in his tracks and stare at his surroundings. The moon above him was round and silver, opaque white light illuminating his face and the surface of the frozen pond. He suddenly knew how to get his mind of his parents and their looming divorce.

He trudged towards the edge of the pond where slippery grass and twigs met frozen ice, creating a slushy bank of mud. Taking his hands out of his pockets and spreading his arms on either side of him for balance, Jamie carefully took a step onto the ice. He had done this numerous times for many years—walking over the pond while it was frozen was something that came naturally to him. He ignored the voice in his head that told him that the only reason why was because Jack had been by his side each and every time. The Guardian had a fear of Jamie being near the pond alone.

He gently slid across the surface, fumbling a little as he made his way towards the center. The ice beneath him was extremely slippery, but that added to his enjoyment and soon enough he was gliding across the entire expanse of the pond, his mind completely focused on having fun.

He didn't notice the tiny cracks in the ice that formed beneath him like splinters in glass, or the way the ice creaked and groaned under his weight when he spun himself around. No, he didn't notice any of that until he found the ice giving way to his body, feeling a multitude of icy needles stabbing harshly into his flesh.

* * *

Boring, boring, boring. All of this stuff was completely _boring_.

Jack sank back in the huge plush throne that was embellished with North's name in slanting cursive. His arms were crossed over his chest and his bare feet propped on North's desk, displacing the stacks of parchment and quills that lay strewn across the oak surface.

"'ey, out of my chair, boy! Is' mine!" North bellowed, shaking a meaty finger at the winter spirit. Jack merely grinned and closed his eyes, letting a sigh escape his chapped lips as he sank further into the seat. His wooden staff lay across his lap, a silent threat for anyone who dared come near him.

"Nah, this chair is mighty fine big guy," Jack sighed, tapping his stomach for added effect. "My belly told me so."

North lowered his hand and shot Jack a deadpan look, before rolling his eyes and waving his hands in defeat. "Fine, stay in chair."

Jack merely chuckled and closed his eyes once more, tilting his head towards the ceiling of North's abode. North had gathered them all up to discuss plans for the New Year that was about to ring in, and to gloat about his own upcoming holiday. Jack pursed his lips and grunted. He would do anything to be back in Burgess with Jamie, just messing around and goofing off. Being a Guardian seriously messed with his free time.

Jack finally opened his eyes and planted the side of his cheek in his open palm, silently watching the proceedings go on around him. Bunny was having a conversation with Tooth, the fairy's iridescent wings fluttering behind her, and Sandy was going over an old document with North, which left Jack alone to sit around and stare at them all. He felt so uninvolved.

He was just about to open his mouth and shout out a protest when his eyes glossed over and his vision darkened. He slumped against his seat, his staff falling to the ground with a clatter. He hadn't felt like this since...

And suddenly he was drowning. There was water filling his lungs and ice sticking to his face, ice and snow and slush seeping into his clothes and weighing him down. He could see his fingers, so stark white and numb, as they reached and stretched for purchase, the ends of his nails scraping harshly at a ceiling of solid ice. His lungs were hurting, stretching with water as it flowed into his mouth, and he hurt. His whole body hurt and he was panicking and trying to shout and-.

"Jack, oh gosh, Jack!"

It was Tooth. She was screaming, her tiny little hands pulling at his sweater and shaking him as he stirred awake. Her babies were fluttering wildly around him, expressing their fear with frantic little chirps and squeaks. As he came to, he gasped for breath. His chest was heaving and his eyes were ringed red. They were all gathered around him; worry clear on their faces, even Bunny's.

"You scared us!" Tooth cried, her voice tense and squeaky. "You were choking and twitching and we didn't know what to do-!"

"—I need to go," Jack shot out, immediately springing from his seat. His staff was tight at his hands as he flew over to North, Jack's blue eyes hard and narrowed. "Take me home."

"Ve haven't finished yet!"

"I _need_ to go home."

"No."

"Take me home right now or- ."

"No, ve haven't even-!"

"Jamie!" Jack gasped, surprising himself at the harshness in his voice. North's eyes hardened and he let out a brief nod, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a crystal globe. He threw it towards the opposite side of the room, a mash of spiraling colors opening into a spinning vortex.

"Go," North commanded. Jack didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

Jamie's vision was getting cloudier.

He scrabbled and scratched at the ice above him, his fingernails raking across the frozen barrier as he desperately tried to find an opening. He pounded his fists against the ice, but the water only slowed down his movements and made his motions sluggish. There wasn't enough time left; he would be forced to inhale the water. His lungs hurt and his chest felt so tight. He felt as if his entire chest cavity was going to collapse. Was this how he was going to die? Was he going to drown to death? He always imagined dying of old age, warm in his bed, not drowning in a frozen lake as he thrashed and kicked in the water.

Soon enough his movements slowed, the bubbles and disturbed water around him ceasing their rabid flow. He was tired. As his body floated, he looked up at the ice barrier once again, brown eyes locked on a pinpoint of bright light that shown overhead. He wondered if the Man in the Moon would inform the Guardians of his death.

He said goodbye to Sophie, he said goodbye to his mom and dad and Cupcake and Tooth and anyone else he could think of. He paid his final goodbye to Jack, but only briefly, because thinking of Jack any longer would make his death more tragic. He stared down at his hands that floated lifelessly on either said of him, his fingers white and stiff. His eyelids eventually grew heavier and numbed to a point where he couldn't feel anything. He flexed his fingers to wave a final goodbye, but only managed to produce a twitch of his pinky.

Jamie Bennett released the breath he'd been holding.

* * *

Jack had never flown so fast in his life. The portal twisted and warped his body, forcing him to use his staff as a makeshift propeller. He brought his hands to his sides as flat as he could get them and bulleted through the rest of the tunnel, colors and flashes of light blurring around him. He fixed blue eyes on the opening of the portal up ahead, a starry night sky greeting him outside. He was getting closer and closer to Burgess. He had to get to Jamie. That was all that he could think of. _Jamie, Jamie, Jamie._

If his heart hadn't already been dead and frozen over, it would have been beating a mile a minute against his chest- he was frantic. He had to get to Jamie at all costs.

The portal finally spat him out, leaving him tumbling and twirling through the air, a whirlwind of frost dissolving around him like dust. The portal had warped him in front of Jamie's house, but he had a feeling that the boy wasn't in his own home. Regaining his equilibrium, Jack righted himself and immediately dashed away, speeding towards the frozen pond in the forest. The wind was leading the way, guiding him towards Jamie. It had never steered him wrong.

He zipped over snow covered trees, the peeks tickling his stomach as he flew low enough to see clearly beneath him. Soon enough, the trees thinned out and the forest gave way to a large clearing that housed the pond. Jack hurtled over, eyes widening in sheer panic as he scanned the pond's frozen and cracked surface. The cracks ranged from deep gouges and gashes to tiny splinters, and the most frightening thing of all was the jagged gaping hole in the center where chunks of ice sat floating in the black water.

"Jamie!" he yelled, plummeting to the earth. He hovered about an inch above the ice, willing his eyes to see through the water, but it was too dark. He didn't waste any time in his decision. Jack gripped his staff to his chest and plunged through the opening. The water greeted him like an old friend. It encased him, bathed him with a wonderful chill that made his nerve ends alight. It was dark under the ice, too dark. He widened his eyes, blue irises glowing as he frantically began to search. Not too far from him lay a dark mass, a figure, and it was very still.

'_Shit_,' he hissed, panic pounding away at his insides. The floating mass was indeed Jamie. The teen's hazel hair was billowing in the water, the hem of his coat wading around him. His skin, usually a peachy color, was pale and almost translucent. Jack quickly paddled towards the teen, wrapping his arms around the lifeless figure and cradling Jamie to his chest. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. Not again, not again, no, no, no, no-.

"No!" he shouted, water flooding his mouth. Jack clenched his fingers tight around his staff, his hands igniting sparks of ice and frost that danced around his hands like electricity. Still clutching Jamie's motionless body against him, Jack closed his eyes and concentrated all of his power into his staff—his staff suddenly flared-up, and before Jack knew it, both he and Jamie were being propelled towards the surface. He wrapped his arms around Jamie's head and shielded the human when they finally crashed through the ice. When they broke free, Jack swiftly glided to a frosty patch of grass and gently laid Jamie's limp body upon the ground, cradling the boy's head between his hands.

"Jamie," Jack hissed, wiping the teen's limp hair away from his face. Clumps of ice clung to the strands of hair; Jamie's face candidly pale and streaked with purplish veins. His lips were chapped and dark, water dribbling from his mouth and trickling down his chin. His closed eyes were ringed with dark circles that made him look older than he really was. Jamie looked so small and cold and vulnerable, lying there with his stiff, stiff limbs. Jack found himself shaking from the fear that lapped at his heels like hell hounds.

"Hey, kid, come on Jamie, wake up," Jack forced out, placing the human's head in his lap. _'Argh, crap, what do I do, what do I do?!'_ Jack was at a loss. When Jamie didn't respond, Jack grew desperate. "Shit!" He was destitute. He wasn't familiar with modern medical procedures because he never had the need to use them. When Jamie's skin started turning blue, a thought streaked through Jack's mind, clear and pronounced. Maybe he wasn't as helpless as he thought. The cold was his element, the ice and snow his friend; he could manipulate it with a flick of his eyes and a twist of his wrist. Winter was his to control. Jamie's body was cold; his lungs were filled with ice water. If he had the power to deliver winter and all things cold, he could very well take it away.

With hope welling inside him, Jack gently propped Jamie's head on the ground and loomed over him, hovering his face just inches away from his charge. "Hang on Jamie," he whispered, and pressed his lips to the human's.

Jack stood motionless over the teen, snapping his eyes shut as he concentrated on his task. He dared not move his lips, but he never disconnected them from Jamie's. Jack took one final shaky breath and began to suck. Almost instantaneously, he could feel a cold stream of water and air and icy slush rush from Jamie's mouth into his. Bits of ice fused with his tongue and stuck to his teeth, the Guardian extracting all the frost that had taken refuge in the human's body. To Jack, it was like heaving in air. It was crisp, it was clean and it was cold. Jack pressed the pads of his fingers against Jamie's cheek, mindlessly caressing the skin in slow circling motions. He could already feel the warmth returning to the boy's cheeks, hearing the rush of Jamie's blood as it began to recirculate through his veins. Jamie was getting warmer, and where warmth was, life thrived.

When Jack could feel the cold no more, just warmth and wetness and more warmth, he pulled away. He waited and waited and waited, and waited some more, and when Jamie still didn't move, he felt the life drain out of him. He sagged his shoulders in defeat, a strange numbness taking over him as he fought to keep from screaming, but then, Jamie stirred.

Jack watched as the boy's eyes fluttered open, a great heaving gasp tearing from his throat as he lapped greedily at the oxygen that was rushing through him. His face was no longer discolored and streaked with purple, nor his lips bruised and chapped. Brown eyes flitted left and right and up and down, taking in the looming tree peaks as they stretched into the night sky like looming spires. They looked as if they could stretch forever.

"Jamie!"

Jamie widened his eyes and stilled, taking deep breaths as his heartbeat, though slow, thumped against his chest. "Jack," he hissed, sending him into a brief coughing fit. His insides hurt so bad, particularly his lungs; it felt as if someone had stabbed him in the chest. He suddenly found himself gathered into Jack's arms, his body pressed tightly against the Guardian.

"Ow," Jamie gasped softly, his nose burying into Jack's sweater.

"Holy crap Jamie," he heard Jack mutter, the spirit's spindly fingers running through Jamie's wet hair. Jack withdrew from him and held Jamie at bay by the shoulders, locking his eyes with the human's. "What the- what in the hell were you doing?"

"I-," Jamie started.

"Why? Why were you out there?" Jack cut him off, his fingers tightening around the curve of the boy's shoulders.

Jamie was speechless. His lips parted to speak, but words failed him. He didn't know how to respond. What in the world could he say? It was stupid, he was stupid. He shouldn't have gone out alone, he shouldn't have walked over that damn pond, no matter how frozen and solid it had appeared to be.

"I…" Jamie tried once more, his voice soft and a bit throaty. He could feel his breath shorten and his throat started to hurt, warning him of the impending water works that were sure to overcome him. He couldn't stop the swell of tears that pooled at the corner of his eyes. He let them spill over, warm tears trickling down his cheeks. "I almost d-died. I was so sure I was going to die Jack, I almost freaking died." The tears wouldn't stop, but he didn't dare let out a sob. "It hurt so m-much. I thought…I thought that stupid piece of ice was going to be the last thing I saw."

Jamie felt Jack's fingers loosen their hold on his shoulders, and once again, he found himself being pulled closer, cold arms winding around his body. He gripped at Jack's sweater, his fingers turning cold as he touched the elder. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, but he didn't mind.

"Thank you," Jamie whispered, shutting his eyes. He repeated it over and over again until he chanted it like a mantra. Fingers combed through his hair once more, the pads of Jack's fingers making Jamie shiver as they traveled down the side of his face.

"Let's get you home," he heard Jack say softly, and Jamie let himself succumb to sleep.

* * *

**IMPORTANT: Okay, so, there's a second part to this that I'm debating whether to put on this site or a different site only. I mean, it's not explicit, it's just that it has kissing and sexual-tension and touchy-feely things in it that I'm not sure about yet. I still need to get a feel of what's appropriate with the RoTG fandom on this site in particular. On elsewhere, like Tumblr or Ao3, I don't care because damn those sites are pretty much a fucking free-for-all. So, should I post the next part? I have it typed out and everything, and if I get a good number of people saying yes, I'll post it during class later on today. **

**Please review! :D and hope you enjoyed.**

**Another note. I'm sorry if I accidentally typed "Jake" instead of "Jack", if at all. I was reading a Dirk/Jake fic before writing this. :B**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Splintered**

**Fandom: Rise of the Guardians**

**Pairing: Jack/Jamie**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **

**IMPORTANT: Thank you all for your lovely words of encouragement and support. Holy shit, you guys are amazing with your feedback. I've decided to post it up here then! Now, by all means, I'm not new to this site and if you've taken a look at my other works…you'll find shit much more perverted than this. It's just, over the past few months, I've been very afraid of posting new stuff up. I practically forced myself to post something after I finished watching RoTG. I don't know if you guys remember, but a couple of months back, fics all over this site were being purged and deleted. Many of my fics were deleted, not for the content, but because of the summary! The summary, and with no warning whatsoever! And they never told me which fics were deleted, so to this day, i still have no idea what stories are gone. And these stories were ollld, old as the hills but still very special to me. I no longer have them anymore :[ I was very afraid of posting stuff up on here, but thanks to you all, I feel that I can now! I'll just have to be extra careful. **

**Thank you once again! You're all amazing. This chapter is for you. /heart**

* * *

Jamie felt the wind whipping chaotically at his hair as he fluttered his eyes open, immediately turning his head inward as the cold wind sliced at his face. His cheek pressed up against something soft, his face instantly cooling. Jamie found himself cradled in Jack's arms, the boy's body pressed tightly against him. They were flying hundreds of feet above the ground, the forest long gone behind them.

"Hey sleepy head," Jack quietly greeted him, a smile forming along his lips. "Have any nice dreams?"

Despite feeling terribly lethargic, Jamie stiffened in Jack's hold. He could tell that Jack was teasing him just by his tone alone. The elder merely snickered at the human's reaction.

"Did I say anything weird?" Jamie asked tepidly, his voice slow and tired. He sounded exasperated, but his throat was just really, really sore. Jack only answered him with a feral grin. The rest of the flight remained silent between them, the sound of the wind keeping them company. Jamie eventually turned his head away from Jack's chest and stared ahead of them, reprieve flooding through his body when he saw the town coming into view. They flew over houses with frosted roofs and sailed over empty streets, the quietness between them relaxing and comfortable. Jamie looked down at the houses, their lights turned off. Everyone was at home snuggled in their beds and sleeping the night away. Jamie ached to be back in his bed warm under the covers. He felt so cold, and Jack wasn't making it any better.

Jamie didn't realize he had nodded until he heard Jack call his name again, the spirit's icy fingers prodding at his sides. Jamie cracked his eyes open and found himself staring up at Jack, who was looking down at him with a half-hearted grin. In that instant, Jamie realized just how old Jack really was. Sapphire eyes that usually looked so feisty and animated now looked ancient and jaded, burdened with the weight of living a life where your existence generally went unnoticed. Jack's arms were wrapped around his back and underneath his knees, like a prince carrying the princess who was stupid enough to go walking over a frozen pond alone. Jamie looked around him. They were in his room safe and warm, the lamp on his bedside drawer providing enough light for Jack to maneuver around in. Though the lamp was dim, it cast a warm glow about the room that looked all too tempting.

"Can you stand?" Jack asked in a lowered voice, jostling Jamie a bit when the teen merely yawned in response. Jamie didn't think he could stand on his own just yet, but he nodded anyway. Jack didn't buy it. "You little liar. Into the chair you go."

"Okay," Jamie sleepily responded. His eyes were still groggy, and though the water in his clothes irritated him and made him want to sink to the floor and curl into a little ball, he forced himself to remain awake. Jamie groggily watched as Jack raced about his room, plunging hands into drawers and closets and dressers. He realized Jack was preparing a set of warm clothes for him. He smiled at the thought.

"It's freezing," Jamie said before he could think. He wriggled his toes in his shoes, grimacing at the way his wet socks stuck to his skin. Jack flew over to him, a heap of clothing in his arms. He floated down until the tips of his bare toes touched the wooden floorboards.

"Need help getting changed?" Jack asked, just a little breathless. Even though Jamie was fine, a little cold and weak but fine nonetheless, he could tell that Jack was still worked up. Jack kept on hovering sporadically in the air even though he was well capable of standing on his feet; his eyes darted here and there and never seemed to focus on Jamie for more than a few seconds. He looked restless and Jamie had half the mind to tell him to go away and make a few rounds around the city until he calmed himself down. Instead of doing that though, because he was just a tad bit selfish, Jamie slumped in his seat and turned his head to the side, his face flushing. He nodded softly.

Jack didn't waste any time. He first started with Jamie's boots. Jack quickly worked at the mess of laces, finally untethering and pulling them off, tossing the shoes aside by the foot of the bed. His socks were then peeled off and thrown somewhere across the room, earning a protest from Jamie.

"At least put them in the hamper!" Jamie said with a gruff voice, his throat phlegmy. He sounded like he had a cold.

"I see you still have the energy to chew me out huh," Jack shook his head with a tsk.

Jamie sucked in his stomach when cold, deft fingers suddenly worked at the zipper of his jeans. He hadn't expected Jack to be this quick about it. He pressed himself into his seat, ignoring the way his stomach fluttered whenever Jack's knuckles would brush against his lower abdomen. His water-sodden pants were pulled down his legs and eventually shimmied off him completely, leaving his bottom half in nothing but soggy boxers. A pair of clean, dry boxers was thrown at his face, and Jamie scoffed.

"You may wanna' do this one yourself kid," Jack said with a smirk. He quickly whirled himself around, his back facing Jamie. The human removed the pair of clean boxers from his face, thankful that Jack couldn't see how red his face was. He slowly went about removing his wet boxers, his fingers shaking and twitching as he pulled the new ones on.

"All done!" Jamie called out. Jack turned around and hovered closer, holding out a pair of black cotton pajama pants. Jamie snatched them from his hands and wriggled into them, tying the drawstring tight. When Jamie looked up again, he found Jack smiling cheekily at him, holding out a bright green t-shirt with a cat's face on the front. Jamie blanched.

"No!" he whined, turning his head away. "Get it away from me, it's diseased." He tried pushing the shirt away from him, but Jack only grabbed at his wrist.

"Come on, your aunt would be so disappointed!" the Guardian teased, dangling the garment above the human's head.

"Is this how you treat someone who nearly drowned?" Jamie said with a withered huff, looking elsewhere. When he didn't get a response, he anchored his eyes on Jack once more and found that the grin he'd been sporting had entirely vanished. Jack's expression was solemn and grave, as if his features had been carved into solid stone. Jack made no move to acknowledge what Jamie said and instead motioned for the boy to pull of his coat and damp night shirt.

A little shaken, Jamie tried and failed in unhooking the front of his coat, his fingers trembling from both the cold and Jack's odd behavior. When he grew frustrated and started cursing under his breath, his fingers were gently pushed away. Jack was kneeling in front of him, carefully unhooking each and every strap until his coat was fully opened. The coat was then pushed away and shrugged off his shoulders, the wet thing pooling around his waist. Jack tugged at it and let it plop to the floor.

"I'm sorry."

Jack drew away, one fine brow arching in confusion.

"I said something weird, didn't I?" Jamie went on, slipping his fingers underneath the hem of his shirt and beginning to tug. "I shouldn't have said that." Jamie widened his eyes when Jack's fingers suddenly met his own, stopping the boy from his pulling his shirt any further. Jack's digits were icy cold, and with the wet shirt clinging to his skin, Jamie couldn't help the shivers that wracked his body. He could practically feel the frost emanating from Jack.

Shooing Jamie's hands away, Jack took the reins again and continued what the human started. He carefully peeled the rest of the garment off, his knuckles brushing Jamie's sides as his hands traveled upward. The younger boy sucked in a breath, wincing whenever Jack's hands managed to brush against his skin. His sides were especially sensitive and felt tingly all over. When Jack finally pulled the rest of the shirt off and tossed it away with the rest, both boys just sat and stared at one another. It was like they were having one of those staring contests they always used to have back in the day, when Jack would cheat and slap his hands centimeters away from Jamie's face just so he could lose. It was sort of unnerving, but Jamie kept at it.

Jamie was surprised when Jack was the one who broke the stare. Blue eyes were staring elsewhere, just a bit lower than his face. It took a while for Jamie to notice that Jack was staring at his bare chest, and on a lesser note, to realize that he still had no shirt on. Jamie tilted his head down and looked at his own chest, his lips parting when he took in the site of his skin. His skin was extremely pale and white, a color that he was only used to seeing on Jack. Spidery purple veins spun a web across his chest, showing through his skin like discolored scars.

He didn't move when Jack suddenly extended his hand, didn't flinch when cold digits pressed affectionately against his skin, fingers tracing the veiny patterns that bloomed across his chest. From his collar bone to his navel, Jack brushed every inch of his torso, leaving a cold trail across the expanse of Jamie's skin. The human trembled, the temperature in his body dropping as Jack continued to touch him, his stomach quivering when Jack circled his navel. Though his body felt frozen, his cheeks felt warm with blood. He didn't know why Jack was suddenly touching him like this, but his actions weren't unwelcome. Despite the cold, Jack's touch felt wonderful.

Jamie closed his eyes when Jack's fingers headed upwards still, cupping Jamie's cheek in the palm of his hand. Fingers gently stroked his eyelids, brushed away strands of damp hair from his forehead, and trailed across the bridge of nose.

Arms wrapped themselves around his naked torso, forcing a gasp to escape his mouth as his skin crackled against Jack's cold exterior. Jamie was pulled up into a tight embrace, his knees wobbly and unstable as Jack rested his chin in the groove of the boy's shoulder. Jamie could feel the Guardian's hands at his lower back.

"What are we doing?" Jamie whispered, his voice muffled against the elder's chest. He too found himself embracing back, his fingers gouging into the fabric of Jack's sweater. Their closeness was something he never knew he craved. It felt nice to have another body beside him besides his family. This was totally different from when Sophie hugged him when he poured her favorite sugary cereal for her, or when his mother hugged him before going to school. He'd never received intimacy from someone other than his family. He liked this. He really, really liked this and having Jack so close made his heart beat just a little bit faster.

"I don't really know myself," Jack whispered back, his breath tickling the nape of Jamie's neck. Jack pulled away, softly nudging the side of Jamie's face with his hand. "But is it okay?"

Jamie took a moment to think the question over, weighing it around in his mind. He liked this. He liked Jack touching him, he liked his uniquely cold hugs, and if there was anything he liked more than all that was that Jack was the one doing this all to him. Jack: his best friend, his bro, his Guardian.

"Of course," he responded breathily, resting his cheek against Jack's collar. "Yeah." His arms tightened around the taller boy's waist, fingers clasping together behind Jack's back. He bit back a tremble. "But I'm super cold."

"Hold up," Jack answered, pulling away from Jamie's hold. He had a warm smile on his face that seemed to ignite everything around him. Jack was radiantly happy and that only served to make Jamie a little bashful.

Jamie found himself being tugged slowly towards his bed, Jack depositing him on the sheets. Jack then went about rummaging through Jamie's far closet, pulling out a big old blue comforter. He threw the whole thing over Jamie, the thick blanket covering his entire body. The boy sputtered a bit as he tried to pull it off his head. In no time, the comforter trapped whatever remaining heat Jamie had in his body and engulfed him in warmth. His toes defrosted and his legs felt as if they had turned to jelly. He ran his fingers down his sides, letting out a tiny breath and a sigh of relief. He felt so good inside. He didn't notice Jack hovering by the side of the bed, looking down at him a little tentatively.

Jamie peered over at his Guardian, poking his head out from beneath the covers. He smiled lazily up at Jack, patting the space beside him. Jack looked as if he were about to protest, but Jamie only shook his head and patted the space again. Jack had saved him; he deserved a little cuddling as a reward.

Jack landed on the ground and slowly drew the covers up, sliding his body inside and letting the blanket fall over him. Jamie had ducked beneath the covers and wrapped himself around them, inhaling deeply when Jack's body nestled against him. Though they were under the blankets, Jamie could still feel a little bit of coldness radiating from Jack.

"You know, we never really did build a fort when you were smaller," Jack mentioned, turning his body so that he lay on his side facing Jamie. The human followed suit, both of the boys facing each other.

"I used to build them with dad before Sophie was born," Jamie replied in a hushed voice. "They're not all they're cracked up to be." He smiled a toothy smile. Jack scooted closer, closing the space between them. Jamie could see white puffs of breath escape from Jack's mouth as he parted his lips to speak.

"You scared me back there Jamie," Jack began, huddling closer. Jamie could feel Jack's knees press against his, the spirit's fingers seeking his own. They clasped their hands together, hot and cold melded into one.

"How did you know?" Jamie murmured, tightening his grip. If Jack hadn't been there, he would've been long gone by now. His parents would have called the police and a search and rescue party would have been deployed…and they would've found his frozen, lifeless body at the bottom of a dreary pond.

"I felt it," Jack responded strongly, rubbing the pad of his thumb over a knuckle. He stared at Jamie's fingers, turning over the boy's hand in his palm. "I've only ever had that feeling once. I knew something was up."

Jamie, of his own will, scooted closer and closed the remaining distance, snuggling against Jack's chest. He would often do this when he was little, usually after a bad nightmare. Jack would be off wandering off in Burgess, getting into trouble and causing mischief, but as soon as Jamie uttered his name, Jack would be there in a heartbeat. He would either draw on Jamie's frosty windows and make the drawings come to life around him, or he would stand watch by his bed until he fell asleep again, all the while stroking his hair.

"You saved me," Jamie mouthed against Jack. The elder tightened his old on Jamie's hand. "I remember letting go Jack. I remember swallowing all that water, and it hurt. It was the worst pain I've ever felt, and then I felt pressure inside me and I-."

He felt ice at his lips. His eyes widened as images of water and chunks of floating ice darted across his vision, but when he thought about it some more and realized it was just Jack, just his lips pressed against his own, he calmed down. He kissed back, their lips lazily moving together. He tried his best to keep from hissing when Jack's free hand gripped at his waist, pressing him closer. Jack's fingers danced along the soft skin of Jamie's hips, gripping tighter and tighter as the kiss grew more passionate. Jack nipped at the boy's mouth, pressing small kisses to the places his teeth had grazed. Jamie was being kissed over and over again, barely getting enough time to catch a breath as Jack's hands settled underneath him at his lower back. The human's breath hitched when a cold tongue licked along his bottom lip, the appendage slipping inside as he parted his lips welcomingly, Jack's tongue roaming through the warm wetness of his mouth. Jack immediately pulled back, breath heavy and eyes lidded.

"Woah, sorry," he breathed, brushing Jamie's hair back with his fingers. "I got a little carried away."

Jamie laughed weakly, his cheeks flushing pink as his chest heaved. "Does it look like I mind?"

Jack glanced him over. It certainly didn't look like he minded at all. Jamie's face was ringed with a messy halo of hair that stuck about in all directions, his cheeks red and lips a little swollen and bruised. For the most part, he looked blissed out, if a little out of breath. Jack raised himself on his arms, staring down at his charge. He whistled softly, cobalt eyes bright and vibrant as a stream of crystals and delicate snowflakes glittered down over Jamie's chest. The boy laughed.

"I wish you were around more often during the summer, we could use an air-conditioner," Jamie grinned, earning a weak glare from Jack. The winter spirit smirked, suddenly draping himself over the boy, planting his knees on either side of Jamie's waist.

"Pfft," Jack rolled his eyes, pressing his forehead against the teen's. He placed his lips against the boy's eyelids, kissing over his nose and down one cheek, hovering an inch above Jamie's mouth as he breathed. Jamie made to close the distance, but Jack merely pulled away and traveled his lips lower, tracing at the shell of the human's ear and down the nape of his neck.

He kissed along his Adam's apple, nicking the skin with his teeth and pressing open mouthed kisses along the raised flesh. Jack lapped at the skin there, pressing Jamie further into the bed, one hand tangled with Jamie's and the other cradling his face. The human turned his head to the side, gasping every once in a while at a particularly hard suck. Jack was leeching off him and it felt entirely too good.

"Ahh," Jamie whimpered, fingers clutching at the sheets beneath him. Jamie's toes were curling into the covers, Jack's body heavy against his own. Jack left a final tender peck at his neck, withdrawing from Jamie altogether. His grin was too wide for his face.

"What does this mean?" Jamie voiced, his tone a little bit eager. To be truthful, he was highly anticipating Jack's response. Whatever he said would make it or break it.

"Whatever you want it to mean," Jack supplied, waving his hand in the air for dramatic effect. He looked down at Jamie, face turning stern. "You call the shots here. Whatever you say, goes. But before you go asking me what I want, because I know you're gonna' do that." Jack pointed a finger at the other, and Jamie huffed. "I kinda' actually like you, kiddo. No lie. I really, really like you. The kind of like between two people who've known each other for a while and stuff builds up and…"

Jack trailed off into a smile, Jamie's infectious grin making it hard to focus on anything else.

"I love you," Jamie quipped, and Jack let out a puff of frost from his mouth. The Guardian shook his head, laughing through his nose. He leaned down and scooped Jamie into his arms, kissing him softly.

"Love you too," he mouthed against his lips.

* * *

**A/N: Wow how sappy, but these are my tester fics for this fandom! I usally do one or two that are incredibly fluffy or sappy, and then...I put my big pants on and unleash hell. Thank you for reading! I think for my next Jack/Jamie fic, I'll make it very, very explicit and strange. I'll post the vanilla stuff on here, but have a link to another site that will host the fic in its entirety. Most likely it will be on Ao3! Keep posted! :D**

**And once again, thank youuuu! Please leave a review if you can!**


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